Energetica India - June 2020

ELECTRIC VEHICLE The battery pack comprises 50% of cost of the electric vehicle and almost 100% of its brand value. Being the single most crit- ical component of an electric vehicle, it is imperative to utilize the optimal battery pack for each automobile application. A compromise on the quality and configuration of battery would necessarily be compromising on the quality of the entire vehicle, and result in fatal flaws to its brand equity as a whole. Unfortu - nately, despite this, many battery manufacturers promote their batteries as low-cost solutions. Auto manufacturers need to acknowledge that this short-sighted perspective compromises the integrity and future of the Indian EV market as a whole. The battery needs to be safe, reliable and optimally engineered to perform in Indian conditions. It is here that more attention needs to be paid, as the Indian market is still evolving, and pres- ently there are a lot of myths and ensuing confusion regarding battery technology and battery packs. In order for electric mobility to become widespread and truly mainstream, Li-ion battery packs used in electric vehicles must be specially designed and optimally engineered for Indian road and weather conditions. Some important parameters that they must follow, include - The correct cell types for the vehicle application, including shape and size Cells used in battery packs should always be from reputed manufacturers (not Tier-2 or Tier-3 companies as presently seen in India) ‘Bus Bar’ design must be suitable for both carrying the right current and heat from cells, based on chemistry and application Include a robust BMS (Battery Management System) and not low-cost PCM (Pulse Control Modulator) which significantly low - ers the life of the battery as well as poses serious safety issues Thermal Interface material to dissipate heat from cells to outside is an absolute must for Indian conditions Outer casing made of thermally conductive material such as aluminum (and not plastic or sheet metal, which are cheaper but drastically reduce the life of the battery as they are unsuitable for in Indian climatic conditions) Minimum IP65 rating battery packs are a must to avoid short-cir- cuiting and other problems in Indian road conditions (such as water-logging in monsoons) It cannot be stressed strongly enough that the adoption of such standards in terms of battery technology for EVs at this nascent stage will go a long way in ensuring a rapid transition and sustaining a durable demand for electric mobility in India. 40 energetica INDIA- June_2020